In a small family-run ceramic workshop in Southern Italy, Onofrio Acone makes tiles one by one, entirely by hand. Acone grew up surrounded by clay, colour, brushes and the tools of ceramic production. The knowledge behind his work was learned through his family and developed over decades of practice. Many of the methods and tools he works with today belong to this same tradition. Each tile begins with terracotta clay, pressed by hand into a wooden mould. Excess clay is removed before the tile is left to rest, carefully released and allowed to dry slowly before firing and glazing.

The process cannot easily be accelerated. Each mould is filled individually, each surface is worked by hand, and every tile passes through a series of stages governed as much by the material as by the maker. Small differences in surface, dimensions and edges naturally remain. No two tiles are entirely alike. The collection is available in three surfaces, each created through a different interaction with the clay. Still is smooth and restrained, allowing the material and subtle irregularities of the handmade process to remain visible. Wave is worked directly with the fingers, creating soft lines and movements that vary from tile to tile. Lome is made by pressing textile into the wet clay, transferring the structure of the weave into a permanent ceramic relief.

This way of working belongs to a long tradition of ceramic craft, but its relevance today feels particularly clear. There is little standardisation and little distance between maker and material. Efficiency is not the objective. Attention is.

Each finished tile is stamped by hand on the reverse with Onofrio Acone and Blēo, creating a discreet record of its origin. On the surface, traces of the process remain visible: the movement of a finger through clay, the impression of woven textile, a slightly irregular edge or subtle variation from one tile to the next. The collection is offered in ten carefully curated colours across Still, Wave and Lome, with 10×10 cm as the standard format. Because the tiles are made individually, other possibilities can be explored for selected projects. Bespoke dimensions and colours may be developed for selected projects in dialogue with Blēo. Installed together, the individual pieces create surfaces with a subtle rhythm and variation. From a distance they form an architectural whole; up close, the traces of their making remain visible.

For technical information, please consult the installation, grouting and maintenance guides below to ensure the tiles are installed and cared for as intended, preserving the surface, character and natural variation of Tiles by Onofrio Acone.

– Installation guide and grouting

– Maintenance and care